Hanging organizer for small valuables

ABSTRACT

In a hanging organizer for jewelry and other small valuables, a flexible covering is folded over the lower rung of a standard clothes hanger, and affixes to itself using standard closures, such as snaps or hook-and-loop fasteners. The outer surfaces of the flexible covering provide hooks onto which valuables may be placed or hung. The device may be concealed for additional security by a shirt or blouse hung from the hanger in the usual manner.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/839253, filed Jun. 25, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to closet storage systems and accessories and in particular to a hanging organizer for jewelry and other small valuables. College students, travelers, and many others often find themselves in situations where they wish to store small, valuable items such as jewelry, cash, debit or credit cards, keys, personal documents, cellular telephones and other mobile electronic devices, but have no storage location that is completely secure. Under these circumstances, concealment may provide better security than a lock, but a professional thief is well aware of all the conventional hiding places in a hotel room or college dorm room. A new and innovative concealment system is needed. A hanging organizer for the concealment of small, valuable items, consisting of a flexible covering folded over the lower rung of a standard clothes hanger and affixed to itself, would satisfy this demand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention is directed to a hanging organizer for jewelry and other small valuables. A flexible covering is folded over the lower rung of a standard clothes hanger, and affixes to itself using standard closures, such as snaps or hook-and-loop fasteners. The outer surfaces of the flexible covering provide hooks onto which valuables may be placed or hung. The device may be concealed for additional security by a shirt or blouse hung from the hanger in the usual manner.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. They illustrate one embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the flexible covering 10, the hooks 11, and the hanger 13.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the flexible covering 10, the hooks 11, and the closures 12.

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the flexible covering 10, the hooks 11, the hanger 13, and the valuables 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is directed to a hanging organizer for jewelry and other small valuables. A flexible covering 10 is folded over the lower rung of a standard clothes hanger 13, and affixes to itself using standard closures 12, such as snaps or hook-and-loop fabric fasteners. The outer surfaces of the flexible covering 10 provide hooks 11 onto which valuables 14 may be placed or hung. The hooks 11 are preferably permanently affixed to the flexible covering 10. The flexible covering 10 may be concealed for additional security by a jacket, shirt, blouse, or other article of clothing hung from the hanger in the usual manner.

The flexible cover 10 is preferably sized to fit on the lower rung of a standard seventeen inch clothes hanger, as such its horizontal length is preferably ten to sixteen inches. The vertical length of the flexible cover 10 may vary, and multiple sizes of the flexible cover 10 are contemplated. A vertical length that is short relative to the height of the clothes hanger 13 as shown is contemplated. Flexible covers 10 that feature different sizes and shapes of hooks 11 are also contemplated. At least two exemplary embodiments are contemplated. The first exemplary embodiment would preferably feature hooks 11 for smaller jewelry or valuables. The second exemplary embodiment would preferably feature hooks 11 for larger pieces of jewelry or valuables. The hooks 11 themselves may be of any shape; specific embodiments featuring brads angled upwards or expanded at the outer end are contemplated.

To use the device, the user hangs the flexible covering 10 over the lower rung of a hanger 13, and secures it to the hanger 13 using the closures 12. The user then places valuables 14 into or onto the hooks 11 provided on the outer surfaces of the flexible covering 10. The user then hangs a shirt or blouse on the hanger 13, concealing the device, and hangs the hanger in a closet, locker, or other location. The user may store the flexible cover 10 in a suitcase or other carrying case when traveling from one location to another.

The flexible covering 10 would preferably be manufactured from a durable, flexible material that is easily cleaned, such as vinyl, plastic, cotton fabric, denim, cotton-rayon blend, or leather. The hooks 11 and closures 12 would preferably be manufactured from durable, rigid materials such as steel, aluminum, brass, and high-impact plastic.

Components and materials listed above are preferable, but artisans will recognize that alternate components and materials could be selected without altering the scope of the invention.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should, therefore, not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. A hanging organizer comprising a flexible covering; said flexible covering being sized horizontally to fit around the lower rung of a clothes hanger; a plurality of closures; said plurality of closures being affixed to said flexible covering such that said flexible covering may be affixed to itself by said closures about lower rung of said clothes hanger; a plurality of hooks; said plurality of hooks being affixed to the exterior of said flexible covering.
 2. A method of using the hanging organizer of claim 1 comprising affixing said flexible covering about the lower rung of said clothes hanger, closing said closures, and hanging one or more valuables from said plurality of hooks.
 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising concealing said flexible covering within an article of clothing by hanging said article of clothing from said clothes hanger.
 4. The hanging organizer of claim 1 wherein said flexible covering is sized vertically to be short relative to the height of said clothes hanger.
 5. The method of claim 2 wherein said flexible covering is sized vertically to be short relative to the height of said clothes hanger.
 6. The method of claim 3 wherein said flexible covering is sized vertically to be short relative to the height of said clothes hanger.
 7. The hanging organizer of claim 1 wherein said plurality of closures comprises snaps.
 8. The method of claim 2 wherein said plurality of closures comprises snaps.
 9. The method of claim 3 wherein said plurality of closures comprises snaps.
 10. The hanging organizer of claim 1 wherein said plurality of closures comprises hook-and-loop fabric.
 11. The method of claim 2 wherein said plurality of closures comprises hook-and-loop fabric.
 12. The method of claim 3 wherein said plurality of closures comprises hook-and-loop fabric.
 13. The hanging organizer of claim 7 wherein said flexible covering is sized vertically to be short relative to the height of said clothes hanger.
 14. The method of claim 8 wherein said flexible covering is sized vertically to be short relative to the height of said clothes hanger.
 15. The method of claim 9 wherein said flexible covering is sized vertically to be short relative to the height of said clothes hanger.
 16. The hanging organizer of claim 10 wherein said flexible covering is sized vertically to be short relative to the height of said clothes hanger.
 17. The method of claim 11 wherein said flexible covering is sized vertically to be short relative to the height of said clothes hanger.
 18. The method of claim 12 wherein said flexible covering is sized vertically to be short relative to the height of said clothes hanger. 